SAITAMA, Japan – For five minutes, it looked like Brian Stann (12-6 MMA, 6-5 UFC) was having his way with MMA legend Wanderlei Silva (35-12-1 MMA, 5-7 UFC) in the main event of this weekend’s UFC on FUEL TV 8 event. Ultimately, Stann believes that may have actually been what led to his defeat.

“I think the fact that I hurt him early multiple times, it made me get overaggressive, leaving me susceptible to what he’s best at, which is throwing a hard, overhand right.”

Stann didn’t make it out of the first round unscathed, as multiple firefights with Silva left his nose bloodied. But Stann’s constant forward movement and powerful punches saw Silva’s legs buckle twice in the opening frame as the went toe-to-toe in memorable fashion.

When he resumed his attack in the second, Stann ran into a buzzsaw as Silva rewarded his loyal Japanese fans with a crushing knockout finish, catching Stann with a few powerful hooks before finishing him off on the floor with four more thunderous blows.

The result brought the reported 14,682 fans in Saitama Super Arena to their feet, as Silva delivered once again in front of a country where he fought 28 times between 1999 and 2006.

Following the win, Silva said his next move isn’t immediately clear. Meanwhile, Stann plans on a return to middleweight after moving up to 205 pounds for the UFC on FUEL TV 8 headliner. A $50,000 bonus check for taking part in the evening’s “Fight of the Night” is probably some comfort to Stann, but he’ll likely always remember how close he came to earning a win over an MMA legend. In typical fashion, however, Stann chose to look at the positives rather than consider what might have been.

“I think maybe I tempted fate a little bit by signing to meet Wanderlei in Japan, and it was just his night,” Stann said. “My hat’s off to him. He’s one of the greatest fighters, ever, and I’m proud to be a part of his legacy.”